The Sun. — London, England, 1864-06-22 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening, The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. passages for—and to call attention to the statement made by the noble lord on Friday last. (Cries of " order," and "move, move.") To put himself in order he wculd move the adjournment of the house. The hon. gentleman was proceeding with his remarks, wieen The SPEAKER reminder hina that the circumPj ance o f his moving the adjournin-dnt of the house difi not authorise him to refer to past debates. (Hear, h ear .) Lord C. PAGET, in replying to the question of the hon. baronet, said the rAiddle passage was necessarily taken by vessels going from that portion of the coast of Africa to the West Indies. This transport would be towed into the offing, where she would probably meet with the south-east trade, and by making a western course, she would get into the south-east trade wind, and in all probability would make her passage to the West Indies nearly as quickly as a steamer. Everybody acquainted with that part of the world knew that in summer-time a ship might run from south east into the north-east trade with very little delay, and he thought the troops would be more comfortable and better off than they would be in a steamer. In regard to the se cond question, he should be very happy to give the number of the troops on which the original requisition was founded, and also the number in the subsequent requisition from the Horse Guards. In the first instance there were 480 men and a certain number of women and children, and they were to go from Cape Coast Castle to the West Indies. Subse quently the War- office decided to send about 200 men from Cape Coast Castle to Lagos, where they would relieve a si milar number, which would be taken to Sierra Leone. THE BALLOT. Mr H. BERKELEY, who spoke from the Opposition side of the table, and was received with cheers, moved the following resolution :—" That, as a general election is im pending, and it is notorious that our electoral system is defective and corrupt in practice, and as we have no law which can put down the intimidation of voters nor prevent bribery, it is therefore expedient that a fair trial should be given to the vote by ballot." The hon. member said, in asking the house to agree to the resolution, he took a dif- ferent course from that which he had usually taken, because it appeared to him that the approach of a general election gave him an opportunity of making some remarks which were certainly called for, and hon. members might take them or not. They had heard very much of Lord Russell climbing an exceeding high mountain, and finding on the top of that mountain an inscription which advised him to " rest and be thankful." No doubt he did rest and was thankful. He could understand the noble lord asking Reformers to be thankful, and Reformers were thankful to the noble lord for his brilliant exertions in the cause of Reform. (Hear, hear.) But when the noble lord asked the Reformers of that house to rest, it seemed to him to savour of an absurdity. 'Were there no longer any abuses to redress—no evils to be got rid of ? Were they become so perfect and so pure that no reform of their political system was required? Had they arrived at the Ultima Thule of reformation ? Had England become "Utopia ? Was nothing left to be done but to enjoy themselves and be happy? He thought that an examination of the existing state of things would prove diametrically the contrary. Had they an Act of Parliament at the present moment which interfered with intimidation, which put down bribery, or prevented treating ? He would be a bold member of Parliament who would say they had such an Act. They had an Act called the Cor rupt Practises Prevention Act. Did that Act put down any of those evils ? That Act was laughed at from one end of the country to the other by every attorney's clerk. That act, founded on the report of a committee, was laid hold of by the Home Secretary and converted into an act of Parliament. That was shortly after an election of more than ordinary enormity, during Lord Aberdeen's admini stration. The committee which produced the report was composed of Attorney-General and Solicitor-Generals, and the most experienced men on both sides of the house. After a short time this committee, which was a kind of enons leg is, did as other mountains did, fell into labour and produced a mouse—a most insignificant little vermin—as its offspring. The Home Secretary took hold of this report, framed it into a law, and said, " Now, there is an end of all your griev• antes." In this bill there were certain provisions which enlisted the sympathies of a great many members of that house. It did away with processions, ribbons, bands, and other expenses which fell upon candidates and accordingly members swallowed the rest of the bill, which from end to end was inadequate, if not mischievous, because it guarded candidates at the poil and placed the punishment upon the electors. To prove the inadequacy of the act the hon. mem ber referred to an analysis of it which had been made by the late Mr Copapoek, who had been intimately conversant with election business. In the case of the late Duke of Newcastle, who had tamed out 70 of his tenants, and claimed the right to do what he liked with his own, the late Sir R. Peel, although he did not approve of the propriety of the act, said it was impossible to prevent it by law. Lord Ma caulay expressed a similar opinion when addressing his constituents at Edinburgh, remarking that to suppose a law could be made to render it impossible for a man to turn out a tenant at will, or discharge a servant, was an absolute eosurdity. As they were approaching a general election the house would permit him to point out what had been done, could be done, and would be done again under that Act. Ho would first sketch the state of a large commercial or manufacturing borough, and describe a few of the facts which occurred at a contested election. The first thing to be done was to secure a certain person, a man from the moon, known to nobody, who came, and went, and disap peered. The man from the moon descended on the borough, and took up his position in some hotel. The next morning he paid a visit to some licensed victualler, and said to him, " On this day week I will require forty breakfasts." Gene rally this man from the moon was accompanied by some person who was well known to the licensed victualler, but who said nothing. The man in the moon visited every other licensed victualler in the borough and gave a similar order, until he ordered breakfast to the aim unt of £4OO or £5OO, and then he retired from the busy scene. What happened on the polling day ? In this borough there was a vast num ber of establishments employing a great many hands, among whom were some 20 or 30 voters. On the morning of the polling day those voters went to breakfast, and from break fast they went to the poll where they joined the crowd, or assisted in bringing up electors to the poll. About the middle of the day those men proceeded to certain unfinished houses, where provisions, beer, and spirits had been con veyed over night. Everybody knew that those men feasted at the expense of the candidates, but who could peeve it. At the end of the week those men received their iull wages as well for the day they were absent at the 'poll, as when at their work, The breakfasts were not ',Aid by the same man in the moon, but by another mae, who descended upon the borough, and was equally un'eenown ; but he deferred the payment until the time for presenting petitions against the return had expired. Let him now suppose the ballot in operation, and aptly it to the case et the same borough he had described. In the first place, no man from the moon . would be needed. No breakfasts would be require;',, because in giving breakfasts a can didate could not tell but that his opponent's voters might be devo,uring his tea and toast. (Laughter.) In like manner 'do candidate would pay wages for a holiday when he did not know but his opponent's voters might be enjoying it at his expense. He contended he had shown how the ballot would supply defects in the existing law—and all he asked the house was to give it an opportunity of being tried. (Hear, and divide.) He knew he should be met by the contradiction, " But the ballot will not do this." To this he replied that assertion was no argument. Let them turn to the Australian colonies, where a perfect reformation had taken place in the system. When the ballot had first been introduced in Australia it was met by all the arguments used in this country. They would also find that the former opponents of the ballot in Australia were now its warmest supporters, and that the only class opposed to it were Roman Catholic priests. In Ireland, on the contrary, the Roman Catholic priests were to a man in favour of the ballot, and it had been objected to over and over again as an araltruent against the; ballot that, although the voters could conceal how they voted from them, the secret would be communicated t o th e pr i ests. The hon. member having still further reterred to the experience of Australia as x w ro tr i y riled b een practised at rec en t elec t'' evi dencing the succ essful working of the ballot, and having read a n Erbkine M ay ' s work to prove th e asked th e house whether that was a state of h which i t ought to rest and be thankful exteoo et h ra lo c h t i t lions in things this ioosN co u ntyvi with The time was fast approaching whee l the great election all their filthy or I sa n t t u im rn i a d l a i t a io w n ou w l d o ü b l e d cpelreobdruaceted reign of terror bribery ' would be let loose, and the briber and the bribed ' would be equally demoralised. I,adeed, at the Coming election this state of ventured things woifid be produced i n a form which, he yt 'Auld never before been s een in thiscoun to sa a ny other re try. Seeing, then, that they were without medy, see: ng th at t h e presen t ac t of Parli ament was a dead letter, and that there was no other act on W h ich they ccr:al rely, it was not t o o much for him to ask that a mode of treating voters which had proved so eff ectual elsewhere should b e t r i e d i n cur coun t r y. T he hon. r um _ ber concluded by moving the resolution of which he had given notice. Mr. J. LOCKE, in seconding the motion, said that at no distant period gentlemen opposite would have anopportu nity of experien c i ng t h ose evils which his hon friend had so ably described. He thought the thanks of the house were due to his hon. friend for having afforded to each of them an opportunity of ascertaining whether or not they had retrograded on the question of the ballot. It was just as well, having reference to the day which was not far dis• taut, that they should register their opinions upon such a question for the consideration of the British public. (Hear.) The usual objection to the ballot was its impracticability; but the hon. member for Pomfret (Mr Childers) had de- scribed the mode in which it was carried out in Australia, and had shown that an election scrutiny could take place as effectually as in a committe-room of the House of Commons. There was no doubt the ballot did prevent a vast amount of bribery, intimidation, and drunkenness. He had therefore much pleasure in seconding the motion. (Hear, hear.) Lord PALMERSTON—Mr Speaker. I can assure the house there are many suggestions in the warning hand of the Block which lead me to be short. But lam anxious to state in as condensed a form as I can the reasons which induce as me usual to o p pose the motion of ray hon. friend. I can only aaY. !is personal to hi mself, that I hope the result o f hi s motion will not make my hon. friend feel so comfort able in his present situation— [nr Berkeley addressed the house from the front Opposition bench]—as to induce him to make it a permanent extremely sorry +- .. one. (Laughter.) I s h ould be now. No .0 see my hon, friend always wh ere h e i s - ar- doubt, nothing tan b e more honourable to man than steady adherence to the cause which he has adopted; and the more that cause is going down in public opinion—(cheers on the Opposition benches)—the more honourable is a steady adherence on the part of its champion. But I think my hon. friend will him self confess that the feeling in favour of this motion is not as strong as it used to be in former times. I object to this motion because it is founded upon an erroneous assumption. It deals with the right of voting as if it was a personal right, which an individual is free to exercise free from any responsibility; whereas I contend it is a trust to be exercised under responsibilities to those on whose behalf it is held. (Hear, hear.) Even if the franchise were ever so extended it would still only be a trust, because there would be a large portion of the community, as, for example, women and minors —whose interests would be affected by the vote thus given. Our legislation admits that it is a trust, and not a right. If the franchise were a purely personal right, would not the voter be entitled to ask upon what principle of justice you prevent him from exercising that right in a manner which he chooses for his own individual advantage? But you attach a penalty to a man who employs that right of voting in a manner you think at variance with the public interest—that is, for a bribe or consideration. Then I say the vote is a trust, and, like every political trust, ought to be exercised subject to responsibility to public opinion. The whole political framework of c'vilised nations is founded upon the principle of trust. The interests of the community are in various degrees, more or less important, committed to a selected view, who are charged in regard to those par ticular things to act for the welfare of the community at large; and their action ought to be subject to responsibility to those whose interests are committed to their charge. Then I say that the ballot is intended to withdraw the voter from the exercise of the trust confided to him, and in that respect it is a political evil. The hon. member has talked about America, but everybody knows that in Ame rica ballot voting is not secret voting—it is what is called ticket voting, where every man votes for a great number of candidates at the same time ; and so far from the vote being concealed. he goes to the poll with his ticket in his hat, to vote for the governor or other officers who are to be elected. Therein I say the ballot is founded upon a mistaken prin ciple, and is at variance with the fundamental principles on which our political institutions are based. Then would it be effectual for the purpose proposed ? I deny it. I main tain that in this country men are proud of their party. They may be thought wrong or right by their neighbours, but a man who has enlisted under the banners of one candidate or another is proud of the party to which he belongs ; and, in stead of seeking to conceal his vote in the ballot box, he would tell all his friends what he was going to do, and would rather be anxious that the whole community with which he was connected should know how he voted. But if you adopt this principle you must also prevent canvassing. You must make it penal for any man to tell beforehand how he is going to vote. Every man in general has a political bias—a par tiaMy for one party rather than another—which makes it impossible that a majority of voters should vote by ballot without their votes being known. Who, then, would have their votes concealed by the ballot ? Why, those whom my hon. friend describes —men who are afraid of losing their farms, who are afraid of being turned off by their landlord, or tradesmen who are afraid of being cast adrift by their customers. Would that be sot In the first place, the land lord or the customer who intended thus to visit his tenant or his tradesman for giving a vote against his wishes would canvass him beforehand; he would expect a promise, or he could apply for a promise, and if that promise were refused, he would know what was meant, and would act accordingly —or, if he chose to wait until the election was over, he would ask the man how he voted, and if he did not wish to tell an untruth, which would be demoralising, having voted against the wishes of the landlord or the customer, they would deal with him just as if voting had been open. Therefore, as far as the tenant and the tradesman are concerned, I say the ballot would be totally ineffectual as a protection. Then, with regard to treating, the hon. member has told us how an election is conducted—that public-houses are open, that men belonging to each party go to those houses which are in favour of their candidate. But would that be prevented by the ballot ? First of all, ycu would not prevent bribery, because a man would go to an elector and say " Here is £5 or £lO, and I will trust to your honour to vote for so and so, but I will not give it to you unless you make that promise." Well, the man being without any particular partiality would be tempted to make the promise, and he would probably keep it; because I entertain the opinion of the electors of the country that generally speaking they do keep their promises. Then as to your public-houses. It is very easy for a man in the manner described by the hon. member to make ar rangements that these public•houses shall be accessible only to those who brought signs or emblems by which it could be known that they intended to vote, or had voted for a particular candidate. Well, I say that the ballot would be wrong in principle and that it is adverse to the habits Of Englishmen. The hon. member takes exception to the expression I used upon a former occasion—that it is un- English. Then I will vary that expression, and say that it is adverse to and inconsistent with the habits of English men. Englishmen are proud of their opinions, and are anxious to manifest them ; and therefore I say that a system of secrecy is at variance with the opinions, practices, and habits of the English people. It would be ineffectual too for its purpose, and for these reasons I shall vote against the motion of my hon. friend. (Cheers.) Mr BERKELEY . would not attempt to answer the noble lord, because such an attempt would involve abun dant reference to Hansard. The noble lord had said no thing as to the state he had shown his boasted Act of i?arliament to be in—nothing as to his boasted constituen cies—not one word had the noble lord said. (Hear, hear.) He asked the h' use to support that which the example of other countries had shown to be a success in preference to that which failed. In short, there was not one reason which the noble lord had brought forward which had touched upon his (Mr Berkeley's) arguments. He should take a division, with a view of eliciting the expression of opinion of honest reformers, who were driven to a point, and were prepared to express that view which was their honest opinion. The house then divided— For the motion Against it Majority against it.. —B9 Mr D. R. Mills was accidentally shut out from voting in favour of Mr Berkeley's motion. EMIGRATION FROM IRELAND. Mr HENNESSY moved the following resolution:— `r That this house observes with regret that the agricultural population of Ireland are rapidly leaving the country; and that this house trusts that her Majesty's Government will direct their attention to the subject, with a view of devising some means by which the Irish agricultural population may be induced to devote their capital and labour to reproductive employment at home." He referred to the great extent of the emigration from Ireland, which was at this moment, he said, greater than at any period during the last ten years; to the rapid diminution of the population; to certain theo ries as to the effects of this decline of the population, and to the actual results, in land going out of cultivation, the re duction of wages, and the increase of pauperism; and he showed the quality and inducements of the emigrants and their condition in the places to which they emigrated. He suggested that the Government had the choice of three courses for meeting the evil,—namely, legislative measures that would restore concord between landlord and tenant in Ireland ; the employment of public money in public and re• productive works ; an d, l as tl y , th e reclamation of waste lands Sir R. PEEL, aft er a d ver ti ng t o th e d ifficulty of nltiperlv appreciating the causes • of the d e p resse d conditis - - observed that th ere h a d b een a wondere: ai.,st of Ireland, revival, and pro ceeded to reply to M r Hennessy e of his motion, na me l emi -on the two m a i n po i nts agricultural populatio oration and the c o ndi t i on of the Ireland, M r Her y, e With regard t o em i gration from messy , s statement, he said, wa s no t s t r i ct l y correct, "fa he gave correct d e t a il s o f its extent, which had diminished. There w as no d ou b t, he acknow -I..eeZt.Y ed .:l ,that there was a great desire on the part of land lords in Ireland to facilitate the emigration of the redun dant population on their estates, and ha showed that emi gration had been regarded by Parliamentary committees as a relief of the mass of destitution and superabundant labour by reducing the number of those who consumed more than they produced. As regarded the other point, the state of agriculture in Ireland, and the statement of Mr Hennessy that land was going out of cultivation, he observed that though there had been a decrease in cereals, there had been an immense increase in the quantity of land under eultiva • tion, especially in flax; and with reference to his sugges tions, he remarked that an immense quantity of waste land had been reclaimed, and that he did not believe there re• mained more than 3,500,000 acres of reclaimable land in the island, In conclusion, he showed that there had been a remarkable development of the trade of Ireland ; that its capital had increased, that its tillage had improved, that impulse had been given to its industry, and that all this was owing to the innate energy of the great bulk of the people. Mr MAGUIRE complimented Sir R., Peel upon the tone and temper of his speech. He observed that till the land question was settled, and the tenant was secured a could compensation for u nex h austed improvements, there never be prosperity in Ireland. Pass a Landlord and Tenant Law, give the farmer security, and the rush of emigration, which showed there was something wrong, would bo checked. Mr MONSELL considered that the Irish landed proprie • +ors were interested in stopping emigration; that if it con tinned at its present rate it would lead to disastrous results. The question, difficult as it was, ought to be faced, and he suggested measures that would, in his opinion, mitigate the evil. Sir P. O'BRTEN agreed th at the subject of emigration w question, which r equ i re d a settlement connected with in the e interest o fthe l an dl ords of Ireland. After some remarks by Mr MAnox, Lord ATHLUMNEY adverted to the encouragement given to emigration in 1847 and succeeding years, to the immense sums sent from America to invite emigration, and to the little that had been done at homa to detain the emi grants there, observing that with so many inducements to go, and so few to tempt them to stay, emigration could not be stopped. What was wanted in Ireland was a state of security, and the manifestation towards the people of a CITY IMPROVEMENTS. Mr J. DAV( (principal clerk) read a report from the Im provement Committee in answer to several references relat ing to improvements in certain portions of the city. They stated that they had arranged with the Tallow-chandlers Company to purchase the freehold houses Nos. 71 and 72 Newgate-street, for the sum of £lO,OOO, and they asked the approval of the Court to the arrangement, and that notice should be given to the present tenants to quit possession at Christmas next, in order that the widening of the thorough fare might be at once proceeded with. The committee had further arranged for the purchase of the freehold house, No . 70, Little Britain, for the sum of £5,500, together with the professional expenses of the vendors. This improvement is somewhat of an important character, as it will be the means of opening up a new carriage thorouehfare between New gate-street and Smithfield. The committee also reported the steps they had taken in reference to the proposed im provement at the corner of St. Mary Axe and.Leadenhall street, in consequence of Certain houses at that spot being pulled down. After considerable negotiation they had suc ceeded in arranging for the rebuilding of the premises upon an improved line, the ground in front thereof to be laid into the street, and paved over by the Commission for the sum of £l,OOO and payment of the expenses of the vendor's sur veyor. The committee also reported the steps they had taken in reference to the several minor improvements. The whole of the reco mmendations of the oommittee were approved by the commissioners. The principal clerk read letters he had received from the secretaries of the City, Great Central, and Chattered ti'as Companies, expressing their regret at th e d e l a y w hich had arisen in th e presentation bf th e report of Mr Barlow, upon the question of the presence o f sulphurin the gas. Tem of these parties enclosed copies of lettere received from Mr Barlow, in which he stated that his report was nearly ready, and would have been sent in last week, but be comparing the results of the experiments made with a ' - 1 , 614 of throwing light upon the circumstances attending its production in coal gas, he had been struck with some remarkable facts, which required farther elucidation, and might give a elite to the source from which it was chiefly derived, and with the view of determining that point he had made arrangements for some further experiments, whi c h might occupy 10 days more. He consequently as k e d f or a fortnight longer to send in his report, which th e com p an i es vmteld receive in time to com municate to the Commissktners of Sewers at their meeting on the 6th prolkirce:,. SANATORY CONDITION OF VIE CITY. 3-2 r LETHBB Y reported on the state of 278 houses that had be':4l inspected during the week, and he submitted a list of 138 places for sanatory improvements. He reported also 011 the condition of nine roams at 5, Bride-court, Bride-lane, Fleet-street, where 27 males and 67 females were employed in bookbinding. The total cubic space allotted to each per son was only 204 feet, and in the females workrooms the space was only 122 cubic feet per head; one of the rooms was so small as to give but 96 cubic feet per head. Dr LETHEBY reported that this over-crowding was in compatible with healthy respiration, and advised that mea sures should be taken at once to abate it. He referred also to the insufficient closet accommodation, and to the inde cency of having but one small closet for so many persons of both sexes. In the course of the week two persons have been sum moned before the justices for neglecting to carry out the sanatory improvements required by the Court, and in both instances the parties were fined and charged with the cost of the proceedings, the fine in one itudauce being _ The markets and slaughter houses have been duly in spected, and the officers have condemned 2,0811 b of meat as unfit for human food. • The mortality returns for the week are a little above the average for the season. Sixty deaths were registered for the week, and of these 17 were amongst children of less than five years of age, and 14 amongst old persons. The chief causes of death were as f o ll ows Phthisis 7, mesenteric disease 4, hydroceph a l us 3, pneumon ia 2, bronchitis 6, con :— tinued fever 3, scarlet fever 1, small pox 1, whooping cough 1, measles 3, and infantile diarrhtol 2—making together 14 deaths from tubercular diseases, 8 from inflammatory affections of the lungs, and 9 from diseases of a zymotic character, THE GAS SUPPLY TO THE CITY. Dr LETHEBY further reported that the illuminating power of the gas supplied to the City during the week had been above the requirements of the act of Parliament, for the average power of the City Company's gas had been 15,07 sperm candles; of the chartered, 14,63; and of the Great Central, 14.54. After transacting some other business the commissioners adjourned, [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Ointment—Sounaness Renewed—Any indolent ulcer or chronic sore should imme diately have this excellent unguent applied to it in the manner pointed out in its accompanying directions. For thoroughly cleansing a diseased or broken skin, and for rousing its poisoned vessels or depressed nerves to healthy action, nothing can surpass Holloway's well-known Oint ment. It strikingly shows the power when applied to the " old man's ulcer," which settles on the leg and often be comes most intractable under the ordinary treatment, though no case has yet withstood this cooling and healing salve. The troublesome swellings preparatory to most ulcerations of the legs are likewise reduced by the diligent applications of Holloway's unguent, by giving strength to the weakened circulation through the capillaries. AMERICA. The fallowing bills were read a third time and passed : Newcastle-upon-Tyne Canal and North Staffordshire Rail way Companies, Garetang and Knot End Railway, Wallasey Improvement, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Gates head Gas, and Aberyatwith and Welsh Coast Railway. ADMIRALTY WORKS AND LANDS BILL, This bill was read a third timo and passed. __ _ SUMMARY PROCEDURE (SCOTLAND) BILL. This bill passed through committee. ATTORNEYS AND SOLICITORS REMUNERA.. TION BILL, The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the seco nd read. ing of this bi ll . It was, he thought, a very important measure, because the mode of remuneration at pres en t i n practice was thoroughly objectionable, and quite irrespec. five of the labour to be performed. The skilled practitioner was paid in precisely the same way as those of very small ability, and neither party were able to make contracts for certain work. Such an arrangement was very inconve nient, as it led to many evils, and he thought the time had now arrived when such a state of things should be put an end to. The system of copying and drawing deeds by folio led to verbiage, the very parent of litigation; and the object of the present bill was to enable a lawyer to make a contract with his client to any given work for a certain price, The present object was to eman cipate the lawyer —to emancipate the client, and the result would be, that business would be facilitated, and what was done would be accomplished much quicker than was now the practice, with fewer faults and with more certainty. Lord BROUGHAM, though he saw some objections to portions of the bill, believed it contained some valuable provisions. Lord ST. LEONARDS opposed the measure, which he contended was uncalled for, and would produce mischievous consequences by destroying all confidence between attorney and client. To the other provisions of the bill he objected that they would deprive married women of a just protec tion they now enjoyed as to acquired property, and would restrict the power of disposing of estates by will. The bill struck at the relations that ought to subsist between hus band and wife, and at the true interests of the public. Lord CHELMSFORD thought the measure ought tot to have included so many subjects having no connection with each other. The bill had no leading principle. It was impossible to discuss such proposals on a second reading, and he hoped the bill would be referred to a select com. mittee. Lord CRANWORTH gave the measure a qualified ap proval, but thought that the discussion on the changes pro posed should not be taken at that stage. The bill was then read a second time and referred to a select committee. Their Lordships adjourned at ten minutes to eight. HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening, In consequence of there not being 40 members pre sent till half-past twelve o'clock, the SPEAKER did not tike his seat till that hour. THIB.D READINGS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : Lancaster Canal Transfer—London and North Western Railway (Additional Powers)—London (City) Tithes— North Staffordshire Railway (New Works;—North Staf fordshire Railway (Silverdale, Madeley, and Drayton)— Sheffield Waterworks (Bradfield Inundatiou)—South Wales Mineral Railway—Swansea Vale and Neath and Brecon Junction Railway—Tunstall Railway—Wellington and Drayton Railway—Wilts and Gloucestershire Railway. COURT OF CHANCERY (IRELAND) BILL. The house went into committee on this bill, and clauses from 1 to 11 were agreed to without amendment, On clause 12 Mr. GEORGE objected to the manner in which the bill was being pressed forward. Mr. WHITESIDE complained of the manner in which the bill was being forced throughout parliament, and said he thought it of great importance that a bill making such extensive alterations should not be dealt with in a house so thinly attended (there being no more'than 18 or 20 mem bers present.) He was in attendance previous to the Speaker taking the chair, and only left the door to obtain a book in the library, and on his return he found that a house had been made, and in about four minutes nine of the recta important clauses had been smuggled through the house. He thought it highly unseemly in a Government, that narrowly escaped censure the other night by a majority of about half a dozen, and who met with a distinct defeat last night, to go on with this measure in such an objectionable manner, and at a day sitting. He again asked, was it at all seemly to press the bill forward under such circumstances. He should like to know if there was any mode by which the clauses already passed could be reconsidered. The CHAIRMAN (Mr Massey) said the only course Open to the hon. gentleman was to move that he (the Chair man) report progress, and then on that being agreed to, to ncloNe that the bill be referred to a select committee. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND said he had been in the house since 12 o'clock, and if hon. mem bers having objection to the bill were not in attendance, he could not help it. He had had to wait for half an hour before he could proceed. There was no desire on his part to press this bill forward with undue haste, or without the fulled discussion, but it was absolutely necessary, in order to dispose of the public business, to take this bill into con aideration at a morning sitting. Mr WHITESIDE then having formally made a motion to the first effect, went on to state his objections to many of the provisions of the bill. Sir It. PEEL rose to order. He thought it quite in competent for the right hon. gentleman to persevere in his extraordinary speech which had lasted already two hours and a half in the manner in which he was then proceeding. His motion was for the chairman reporting progress, and he was entering into the details of the bill, when The CnAIRMAN ruled that the hon. gentleman was quite in order. Mr WHITESIDE then resumed his observations on the effects of the bill. objecti ona b le that a bill Mr VANCE thought it highly of such importance should be considered at a morning sitting, especially as many members interested in the matter were unavoidably absent. Ho put it to the right hon. gentleman the Attorney- General for Ireland whether the bill was one that ought to be considered i n. 80 thin a house. When the mast important clauses had been passed there were not more than eight or nine mean. bers present. , The ATTORNEY. GENERAL for IRELAND con sidered the right hon. gentleman had abused the attention of the house by occupying it with matter as much relevant to the Great Mogul as to the provisions of the bill. He was amazed at many of the statements of the right hon. gentleman, and he could hardly reconcile himself to the belief that the hon. gentleman had any other object but to obstruct and defeat the bill. Instead of being opposed to the measure, the entire bar of Ireland approved of it. He was not to blame bccauso the subject had not been fully discussed. He had been in his place at 12 o'clock, and although it was well known that the bill was to come on for discussion, there appeared to have been an arrangement between some parties to prevent its consideration. If the bill was not carried it should not fall through by any want of exertion on his part, especially as he believed it was cal culated to benefit Ireland very largely. Mr BUTT objected to the bill being sent to a select com mittee. The committee then divided on the motion that the Chair man do leave the chair, when there appeared— Ayes .. 42 Noes ........ Majority .. , .. —1 The result was received with cheers and much laughter. The CHAlnaux accordingly left the chair and it being past 4 o'clock the sitting of the house was suspended. The house resumed at 6 o'clock, THE DIVISION AT 4 O'CLOCK. Sir COLMAN O'LOUGHLEN told the Speaker, that by accident he voted with the " ayes" instead of the Noes. He was tolfl he was bound to vote, He did so, and then reported the circumstance to the chairman. He (Sir Colman) thought his vote ought to be placed with the " noes." The SPEAKER said the hon. member having gona into the lobby with the Noes later the question had been put from the chair, he was bound to vote with the " Noes," therefore his vote must remain undistui bet]. THE ASHANTEE WAR. Sir 3. ELPHINSTO.NE asked the Secretary to the Ad miralty whether it had been taken into consideration that a sailing ship leaving Cape Coast six weeks or two months hence, and bound to the West Indies, would be obliged to adopt the "middle passage;" and, in that event, whether the effects of a protracted voyage in such a climate on offi- cers and men already debilitated might;o; be attended by disastrous effects. Mr C. BERKELEY said that, before the noble lord an swered the question. he wished to put another of which, he had given notice—What number of offieers and men now on the Gold Coast the Admiralty had been requested to provide Lord ST. LEONARDS presented a petition from Rackerford, praying that the house would adopt measures to induce her Majesty's Ministers to take steps for the restoratio of peace in America. The Earl of DERBY said he had heard that a gentleman named Levey, a Montreal merchant, had arrived at Bos ton by a British passenger ship, and before he left the vessel, it was boarded, and be was seized by a United States' officer and imprisoned. There was no cause assigned for his arrest, and after a period of ten days he was liberated, on the 6th of June, without any cause assigned either for his imprisonment or liberation. He wished to know if any information on the subject had reached the noble earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; and, if so, whether reparation had been demanded by him, or voluntarily offered by the United States ? Earl RUSSELL said he did not find in any of Lord Lyons' despatches any reference to the case. Perhaps the next despatch might contain something; if it did not he would write to Lord Lyons on the subject. PRIVATE BUSINESS. rim suiv LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 22, 1864. spirit of kindness and forbearance—not a rash interference between landlord and tenant. Mr WHITESIDE referred the present condition of Ire land to the effects of past legislation and the repeal of the corn laws, and thought there was nothing extravagant in a resolution asking the Government to direct their atten tion to the subjeet. The discussion was continged by Mr Blake, Mr P. Urquhart, and Sir F. Heygate. Sir G. BOWYER said that as an Irish member and an English landlord he had taken a great deal of trouble to understand the question, and always felt at a loss to under stand the conduct of Irish landlords. An English landlord, when a farm fell vacant, put all the buildings into thorough and tenantable repair, knowing very well that unless he did so he might get a tenant, but not a first-rate one, and that his rent would be uncertain. English landlords sup plied the tiles for draining purposes, and expected the tenants to put them in; and in case a tenant grubbled up waste land he was allowed to hold it for a certain time without increase of rent, and after he had obtained fair remuneration for his outlay the proper increase in his rent was determined by valuation. He felt sure that if Irish proprietors dealt in a similar spirit with those holding under them they would have a happier and more contented tenantry to deal with. The reason why a similar system was not pur sued in Ireland he did not know, and he had never been able to find out. If they persisted in neglecting to do what was just, the Legislature, in his opinion, ought to step in and compel them to deal more satisfactorily with their tenants. When the tenant-right agitation was in full strength he had never agreed with the notions of its leading advocates, knowing that the views of law which they put forward had no warrant in the history of any country, and were not countenanced by any legal authority. They ad vanced the doctrine of emphyteusis, misinterpreted portions of the civil law, and constructed a theory of mutua: rights in the soil to which the only thing at all like a parallel was found in India, where it had been productive of endless mis chief. At that time feelings were so violently excited that the advocates of tenant-right could not be reasoned with. At present there was no violent agitation in Ireland, and advantage ought to be taken of the prevailing calm honestly and usefully to grapple with the difficulty. It was very well to tell people that in America they would be better off. The heartrending scenes witnessed on their departure showed that they left unwillingly—(hear, hear)—they felt there was no place like home, and their right to live in their own country could not be disputed. It was, therefore, with deep regret that he learnt there was a common practice of dispossessing tenants at the end of their term without any compensation for improvements, and of setting up their holdings to auction. (Loud cries of " no," from the Oppo • sition benches.) He was certain such was not the case, in the districts of which hon. members had cognizance, but he knew that the practice prevailed to a formidable extent. Lord PALMERSTON said he hoped Mr Hennessy would be content with the discussion, and not press the motion to a division. No doubt, it was very much to be lamented that causes existed which drove a large mass of the people of Ireland to emigrate from their native land ; but if they went to a country where they found themselves better off than in their own, the change on their account could not be regretted, and it would be unkind to prevent their emigration, which flowed to this country as well as to America. It was impossible by legislation to alter the laws that regulate human society. He moved the previous question. Mr WALP OLE recommended Mr Hennessy to withdraw the motion. Mr HENNESSY declining to withdraw his resolution, Sir G. GREY moved as an amendment the previous question, which was seconded by Mr CARDWELL, Mr WALPOLE had never heard an Irish debats con ducted with more ability, and with more careful investi= gation, from both sides of the house. He trusted, there fore, that the effect of the debate would not be injured by a division. After a few words from Mr Monsell, Mr Lefroy, Mr Hennessy, Mr Esmond, and Mr J. Butt, The house divided. The numbers were— For the previous question Against it .. 52 Majority.... —3B The motion was not therefore put. Sir F. SMITH moved an address to her Majesty to direct an inquiry into the condition as to pay and allow ances of the regimental quartermasters of her Majesty's service, with a view to place these officers, should it seem expedient, on a better footing. After some remarks by the Marquis of IlAnTlNcyroN, the motion was withdrawn. The orders of the day were then proceeded with, certain bills were forwarded, and, the remaining business having been disposed of, the house adjourned. CITY SEWERS COMMISSION. Yesterday a meeting of the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London was held at Guildhall, under the presi dency of Henry Do Jersey, Esq., Deputy. STATE OF TRADE. MANcIiEsTER, June 21.—There is a pause in the market to-day, owing to the great anxiety which prevails on the question of a renewal of hostilities between the Danes and Germans. The absence also of advices from India, now three days overdue, prevents merchants from operating. For shipping yarns there are a good many orders in the market, which are held back till after the sitting of the Con ference to-morrow. There is an almost total ces sation of business for export. Prices, however, are very firm, and few, if any. spinners have been dis posed to take less prices than last week. The general opinion seems to have been that it would be useless to press sales with the present feeling in the market. In home trade yarns there has been a very quiet market, and there has been less than an average business, For cloth there has been a stag nation in the demand quite equal to that in yarns. Buyers seem to have quite an aversion to entertain ing offers of business, and the only operations re ported have been on an exceedingly small Beale. Manufact-:.-ers are not pressing their goods on the market in this state of things, and we do not ob. serve any actual change in quotations. There are some exceptions to this rule, where sellers have stocks and are compelled to realise, but they are comparatively few. The transactions of the day in both cloth and yarn have been of the most insigni ficant character. Messrs. John Slagg and Co. report of this day's cloth-market :—" We have bad a most inactive week, and to-day business seems quite at a standstill. We cannot quote any change in prices, as nothing has been done to test the actual value of goods." LEEDS, 21st.—The woollen cloth•markets in the public halls have been rather inactive this morning. The attendance of buyers being rather below a full average, and there being no great bulk of new and seasonable goods in the halls, business wore a some what dull aspect. As to prices, they were well maintained, those of heavy and medium goods alike ranging fully as high as the quotations at the open. ing of the present month. There is a little increase in the export trade, chiefly in heavy goods, for the Canadian and American markets, and the manufac turers keep well employed in every part of the dis trict. Wools are without change in quotation, and the market for the English new clip is tightening. NOTTINGHAM, 21st.—At this exchange hall to day there was a pretty fair attendance, but, as higher prices were asked for lace yarns, only a limited amount of business was transacted. For hosiery yarns high prices were also realized. Silks as before. For brown nets the demand was blow, but prices had an upward tendency. ROCHDALE, 20th,—There was a good attendance of buyers in the flannel market to-day, and the same cheerful state of things existed as we have lately had to notice. Manufacturers had no difficulty in selling their productions, unless it were the very finest fabrics, for which the demand was rather slack. Both heavy and medium qualities were in good request, at fully late prices. Yorkshire goods also solo well, especially scouring flannels. Wools are firm in price, though manufacturers purchase more to meet immediate than future demands. Execution at Edinburgh, Yesterday morning George Bryce was executed in the Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, for the murder of Jane Seaton, at Ratho, Midlothian, on the 16th April last. The wretched man was tried on the 30th ult. and Ist June by the High Court of Justiciary, and was defended on the ground of in sanity at the time of committing the deed. The jury found the prisoner guilty, but recommended him to mercy on the ground of the low organisation of the mental faculties. This novel recommendation evoked no public support to the pri soner's defence, but a petition was sent to the Home Secre tary by the prisoner's parent and also by his agents, urging a reprieve on the ground of insanity. Sir G. Grey, after con sidering the judges' report of the case, declined to interfere with the course of law. George Bryce was the son of John Bryce, an innkeeper and coal merchant at Ratho, about 30 years of age, and had been employed as a carter about the village of his father. His victim, Jane Seaton, was a nurse maid in the house of Mr Robt. Tod, of the firm of A. and R. Tod, of Leith, who resides in a villa in the vicinity of Ratho. Bryce had been a follower of Isabella or Lizzie Brown, the cook in Mr Tod's house, who, however, discouraged the addresses of her admirer. Bryces enmity to Jane Seaton apparently had its origin in the belief or knowledge that she had called him " a drunken blackgnard," and that she had been the cau-e of Isabella Brown's rejection of his suit. On more than one occasion during the 10 days previous to the murder he had endeavoured to obtain access at night to the house, but without success. On the morning of Saturday, the 16th of April, he was early astir. Mr Tod usually left his house at 5 or 6 o'clock to go to Lei h, and this was a morning when Bryce knew the gardener was also absent, so that the house was wiihout male protection of any kind, and it was this time he chose for effecting his bloody pur pose. On Bryce presenting himself at the back door, Isa bella Brown seemed at once to conjecture his purpose of re venge, and alter an effectual attempt to prevent his getting in, she ran round the house to warn her fellow -servant. Her warning, however, came too late to prevent a brutal and murderous assault being made on the girl, whose screams brought temporary deliverance from the hands of her assailant. Mrs Tod, aided by Isabella Brown and an occasional worker who happened to be in the house, suc ceeded in releasing the nurseniaid,and called to her to make her escape. Instead, however, of seeking the protection which the other rooms of the house might have afforded her, the ran outside, and, crossing the front garden, sought to take refuge in a neighbouring cottage, Before she reached this place of safety Bryce had, by jumping the garden wall and taking a near eut, again got her in his power, and this time with more determinate and fatal pur pose. Seising the alarmed and trembling girl, he threw het on the grotind, and inflicted a murderous gash with a rezor he had concealed it. his pocket, A feW minutes; after wards Jane Seaton died, after having been conveyed into Mrs Binnie's house, and having given utterance to only a feee incoherent Words. The faCA: of the murder was not denied by Bryce except in so far as he professed at his judicial etaminatida to have no recollection of the matter. Ten and a half years had elapsed since an execution had taken place in Edinburgh, and the sight atttacted an enormous crowd, which filled the street from the Castle hill to the Royal exchange, the windows and even the roofs of many of the four or six story houses overlooking the scene being crowded with spectators. All night through a large number of people lingered in the neighbourhood of the scaffold, which was up about midnight, and as the hour of execution, 8 o'clock, approached, a multitude of probably 15,000 to 20,000 parsons had assembled. The convict, who had been attended since his condemnation by the Rev, Dr, Glover and the Rev. Dr. Fowler, of the Established Church, and by the prison chaplain, had shown great penitence for his crime, and had asked one of the rev, gentlemen to write to the murdered girl's parents, and express his great sorrow for the injury he had done. To his spiritual advisers he acknowledged the justice of his sentence, and eagerly ac cepted their exhortations to depend upon Divine mercy, The unfortunate man went to bed at midnight, and lay till 4 a.m, The rest of the morning was spent in religious exer cises. At 8 o'clock ho was visited in the condemned eel below the High Court of Justiciary by the magistrates and city officers, to whose custody he was transferred by the prison governor. He was then taken to the door of the court room, where the prison van was waiting to carry him to the sheriff's chambers, in the County-buildings. Here he was pinioned by the executioner, Askern, of York, and thereupon he was conducted to the scaffold, attended by the rev. gentlemen, and by the magistrates and police surgeon. On reaching the scaffold he knelt down, and Dr Fowler offered up a short prayer. Askern then put the white cap over the convict's head, tied his legs with a cord, and adjusted the ropy round his neck. The unfortu nate man was then placed on the drop, and the magistrates and clergymen left the s afield. The executioner drew the bolt, and, with a few sli g ht s t ruggles, the convict expired, The drop was one of unusual length, and the scaffold being screened up to a certain height, the body was withdrawn from public vie ,v immediately on the bolt being drawn. A thrill of horror went through the crowd at the fatal plunge, and some groans were uttered for the executioner, who showed the greatest coolness. Before 9 o'clock the body was cut down, and subsequently interred within the precincts of the Calton Gaol. EXTRAORDINARY DUEL AT HEIDELBERG.—A tragical event has just taken place at HeidelLerg. Late in the evening of the 15th, a student belonging to the body of the Swabians was found lying on the ground wel tering in hi s bl ood. He had discharged a pistol in the re gion of the heart, but the ball having been turned aside by touching a rib, missed the heart, passed through the lungs, and lodged under the right shoulder blade, whence it was afterwards extracted. At first the natural belief was that voluntary suicide had been intended, but some letters which had been written by the student showed he had been the victim of a shameful kind of duel. A foreign student had been grossly insulted by the Swabian, and satisfaction was demanded ; but instead of fighting in the usual way, an agreement was come to to draw lots which of the two should destroy himself within a delay of a fortnight. The lot fell on the Swabian. When the time was about to expire, the young man, whose father was dangerously ill, solicited an extension of the delay, b u t t h e request was re f use d, a nd the attempt at self destruction was consequently made. Some hopes are entertained that the wound will not prove fatal, but all the entreaties of the heads of the university and of his friends cannot extort from him a promise not to repeat the desperate act. To all their solicitations his only answer is—" I have not pledged my honour to seriously wound myself, but to put an end to my life, and I will keep my pro mise.—Galignani. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIMES.—To-day the answers of the belligerent Powers to the hot proposition of the neutrals will be presented to the Conference, and we shall learn whe ther the present week is to end the armistice and leave the decision of everything to the chances of war, or is to see the beginning of a new treatment of the question entered upon with somewhat better hopes of success. Of the more favourable result there is, however, we are sorry to say, little expectation. The neutral Powers —England, France, Russia, and Sweden—have supported the scheme of arbitration. They consider that a question like this, involving the race, nationality, and language of a mixed pool lation, may be advantageously settled by an able Sovereign and his Ministers, founding their judg ment on the evidence laid before them as to the dis tricts inhabited respectively by German and Dane. They consider that only by such a course can the honour of both parties be saved, inasmuch as each has declared for a frontier which the other refuses, and neither will give way in direct negotiation. The choice of an arbitrator would be a matter for after consideration. There are not wanting Sove reigns in Europe well qualified both by character and known impartiality for the office. The King of Italy or the King of Holland would execute the task with perfect good faith. No doubt the neutral Go vernments, feeling that in the acceptance of this pro posal lies the last hope of peace, have urged it with sufficient importunity on the parties to the dispute, but there is unfortunately little hope that they will prevail. Of the three belligerents Austria alone, we believe, has shown any disposition to accept it. The Court of Vienna is far wiser and far less enthu siastiz than any other ruling power in Germany. It knows how unstable is the position of the Empire, how contradictory to its own principles is a war for nationality, how dangerous may be the precedent of a plebiscite, how little to its own interest it is to aggrandize the Prussian power, or to give the minor States a preponderance in German counsels. It knows that the continuance of war may bring upon itself and the delicate fabric of Austrian dominion dangers which have been hitherto evaded only by a most skilful policy. It knows that France must be waiting for an opportunity to carry out its tra ditional designs, that Italy is ready for a spring, that everywhere the chance of the Empire being involved in war rouses the highest hope of the refugee; that, in short, the whole world is looking on with expectation of some great result from the imprudence of a State whose most fitting maxim is not to move that which is at peace. But these views are peculiar to Austria. Neither of the other two belligerents seems to look upon the scheme of arbi tration as one that it would be possible to accept. The Prussians consider themselves to have posses sion of Schleswig by conquest, and will not enter tain the notion of withdrawing their troops at the bidding of a referee, however able and impartial. They think that with a little firmness everything they have sought for many years may be gained. England, they fancy, will after some sullenness accept the annexation of Schleswig to germany as an accomplished and irrevocable political change. - Without having that low idea of the courage and enterprise of this countrEwhich the majority of the Prussians now affect to entertain, the Berlin Go vernment really believe that the Danish question is not sufficiently important to this country for us to endanger our position by entering on its recount alone into a war against the whole of Germany. Why, then, should they accept arbitration if by merely holding what they have already conquered they can separate the whole of Schleswig from the Danish Kingdom ? As soon as the Conference comes to an end, they can declare the two Duchies inde pendent, and inform England that their assent to the scheme of dividing the Northern Duchy is retracted as not having been accepted by the oppo site party. These reasons have so far influenced the counsels of the Prussian Court and Ministry that an unofficial refusal of the scheme of arbitration has, we believe, been already given by Prussia, and, unless other opinions have since prevailed at Berlin, it will, no doubt, be formally repeated at the Con ference to-day. Equally resolute is Denmark to maintain its rights in Schleswig, and only to yield possession of the country to force. The Copenhagen Government and people, the Danish party in &hies, wig, and even the plundered farmers and towns people of Jutland believe that they see in war a chance of gaining better terms than if they accepted an arbitration which might cut off from them half of the Duchy. Not only does Denmark object to the arbitration, but it sees with impatience the duration of the armistice. There is, we believe, no question of a further prolongation, and this is chiefly owing to the resolution of the invaded State. The Ciermans would gladly let tae armistice last a month, or even three months longer, for while they negotiate they occupy and Germanize; while they , discuss frontiers they are actively engaged in mak any frontier but that of Jutland unlikely to be chosen by causing it to appear that the inhabitants are in every part, and by a great majority, elisions for a union with the Confederation. But for these very s +me reasons, among others, Denmark desires that matters may be brought to an issue as soon as possible. If the Duchies are held three months longer, until the Daniell element is crushed oat, until the whole is converted to the doctrine that an independent dukedom is necessary to their happi ness, Schleswig may he considered lost to Denmark. There is no knowing what effect such a transfer of allegiance might have on populations which are now atanchest in tne.ir attachment to the Throne. No thing, then, they thi n :: : remains for Denmark but to fight as soon as possible, if it be once allowed are the people that war must b eg i n aga in. The;:e be admitted with whom w e h ave t o d ea l, and it that there is littl e c h an ce of bringing :hem to terms. The violence and treachery of Pre:ssia have long convinced the Danes, as they haasq now convinced England; that there can be no safety in any negotiation carried on with the Cabinet of Berlin. M. von Bismark is so ambi tious, so unscrupulous ; his influence over the King is so great ; and war leads so readily to the improvement of his position with the people he has so grossly misgoverned, that we can scarcely hope he will yield to any considerations of justice or humanity which we can present to him. This country can only expect a change in his counsels by making it appear to his own State and to Germany at large how great are the dangbrs to which they exposed themselves. There is, indeed, no section of the Confederation which has not something to lose by a policy which places them in opposition to Eng land. Austria, the least guilty, would perhaps suffer the most, as her discontented provinces may be either reached or affected by a fleet acting in the Adriatic, while her North Sea squadron would be destroyed or driven into some neutral port. The movement Germany consequent on a war might lead to risings against the minor Princes, and in fay onr of national unity, if even that unity had to be placed under the protection of the French Em peror. As to Prussia, if France remained friendly and neutral,the price demanded would be one which every German would shrink from paying in patriotic horror. We have not much hope that anything which can now be said will influence the reckless Government of Prussia, but it may be assured that the renewal of this war will be a calamitous era to itself and to most of the German States. POST.—The mcrc fact of the Lord Chancellor being the intr6Jucer of a bill purporting in any re. spect to reform the ez:.'.Bting law is in itself a con clusive proof that the brat,. ch of law affected by the measure stands in need of mo....lification. No law reformer of the present, or indeed, wt , might say, of any past time, has effected so many unquezZi°Labl...° good alterations in our system of jurisp r udence, and in its mode of administration, as Lord Westbury. Although when at the bar known solely as an eminent equity lawyer, no sooner did he become invested with legislative functions than he applied himself with vigour and industry to the reformation of many of the more glaring abuses which for cen turies had passed equally unobserved and mare. dressed in every department of our legal system. When in the House of Commons be found time for the creation of an entirely new law of bankruptcy, and embodied his views in an elaborately-devised and most comprehensive statute, which will long excite the envy and the admiration of future gene rations of law re f ormers . Si nce hi s e l eva tion to the its even to he hac ventu re d on a t as k which, from en immensity, might well have seemed hopeless to the most sanguine —we mean the condensationhaoaf the statute law; and already some Progress been made in th a t grea t work. The last vestiges a o t f t t h h a e t cruelhands o lawf his creditor made t the debtor punishment more severe than that apportioned by the Legisla9 ture to the commission of crime have not escaped Lord Westbury's notice , an d w il l doubtless ere long be swept away by enactments not indisti nc tl y shadowed forth by those measures which he has already added to ;,he statute roll, Within the present session he has, as the public are aware, in troduced a bill calculated to remodel in many im portant particulars the administration of justice in county courts, and to abolish, so far as is possible by legislative enactment, the scandalous practice now rif e i n our superior courts of bringing speculative actions with no other object than that of compelling the defeated litigant to pay a lawyer's bill. There are many other measures, and notably those effecting a consolidation of a large portion of the criminal law, with which the name of the pre. sent Lord Chancellor will always be honoarably associated,but which it is needless more particularly to specify, Lord Westbury has been unwearying in the fulfilment of those duties which, though by far the most important pertaining to the high office which he fills, are for the most part entirely neglected by those who take their seat upon the woolsack. Not contented with those important measures which since the opening of the present session he has submitted to Parliament, he has noel/ introduced one which will, if confirmed, abolish the ( system which at present regulates the remuneration . received by attorneys and solicitors from that clients. This bill was read a sezond time last even ing, and then, in consequence of some objections. raised by Lord St. Leonards and Lord Chelmsford, referred for consideration to a select committee. In this matter-of-fact age, when almost every businbusiness transaction is susceptible of being made the subject., of special contract, it has furnished no little ground for astonishment that law, which is the most costly and the most undesirable of all luxuries, should be sold according to a tariff over whose regulation the s purchasers are permitted to exercise no control''. The fe e of the midwife or accoucheur under whose , a u s pi ces an ;2dividual makes his entrance into the' world, and that cif the, physician who watches hie exit, may be made the subject of special agree ment ; and the same may ha said of almost every: act of assistance which, between those eventfo' periods the individual in q ues ti o n tiny require at , , the hands of his fellow m an , B u t t o this genera: , rule there is an important exception. If a man if: of a litigious temperament, and is desirous ?r gratifying what we may be permitted to call h'-a, morbid predilections, or if h e th roug h no feult 01 his own, is compelled to have recourse to tegae measures to enforce claims, or to resist unjust de_ mends, he knows beforehand that the assistance' which he must of necessity seek must be paid for at a fixed, and at what he may consider an exor bitant, price. He may bargain with his wine' merchant, or his tailor, or his landlord, or his doc tor, but bargaining with his lawyer the Legislatur e . does not allow. If h e w i s h es to j og t h e me mory a a debtor who obstinately remains apparently uncon scious of the outstanding obligation, and by a gels' tle threat of legal proceedings to procure its imme diate liquidation, " an attorney's letter" is the ex pedient employed. B u t thi s expe di ent h a s its' marked price, from which an abatement is not only not allowed by the law, but is virtually prohibited; and whether the threat accomplishes its purpose er not, the attorney receives from either the creditor or the debtor the statutory fee. But the same rule which obtains upon the threshold of all legal pro 4 ceedings is equally observed through that long and intricate course which, when once fairly in motion) they almost invariably run. The consequences are well known, No man can form even a general, estimate of the expense which he may be forced to incur in the vindication of its legal rights, or what he believes to be so ; nor can his attorney do so for him. Everything, as the lawyer tells his client, de pends upon " the other side." If difficulties arc raised they must be met, and, if possible, overcome, but then the cost of the victory must of course re main uncertain. The attorney may conscientiously aver that he will perform his duties as cheaply 1 1 . 3 any of his confraternity ; but the evil is that that promise fails to reassure him who not unreasonably thinks that he ought to know beforehand the amount of remuneration he will eventually be called upon to give for the fulfilment of a specified del. The main object of the Lord Chancellor's bill is to abolish a system so obviously at variance with those general principles which regulate the trans action of matters of business between the different members of society, and which has nought to sup port it except its antiquity. It is provided that henceforth it shall be lawful for every attorney and solicitor to enter into a contract with his client, determining the amount of remuneration ha shalt receive for his professional services, and to stipuiate that such remuneration shall either consist of a gross sum or be ascertained according to a standard agreed upon between him and his client, It is, in fact, proposed that henceforth the remuneration of attorneys, like that of all other persons who are entitled to recover payment for their services, shall be made dependent, if the parties so wish it, upon special agreement, and shall not be regulated by those arbitrary rules which have hitherto been posed by the Legislature settling the rates of par ment. We are well aware that objections will be raised to the proposed scheme upon the ground that it will open a door for what will be apparently cheap, but will be in reality dear, litigation. These objections, however, rest upon the narrowest grounds, and are utterly unimportant when viewed beside those cardinal obj ec ti ons , b ase d u p on the first principles of economical science, which present themselves to the existing system. Dismissing from consideration the fact that the costs of legal proceedings are, even under the supervision of tax ing masters, scan d a l ous l y greet, t h ere can ex i s t no just reason why they should not, like the expenses entailed by any other transaction of life, be made dependent solely upon the wishes and the convee nience of those whose pockets they alone affect. COUNTRY MARKETS. BRISTOL-MEND &Y. The attendance of buyers to-day was very fair, and a moderate business was done in English and foreign wheat at is per qr advance on last Tuesday's prices. Grinding barley more inquired for, and a trifle dearer. Oats held for 6d per qr more money. Peas and beans 6d to is dearer. MELTON MOWBRAY-TUESDAY. The following were the currencies :—New white wheat, 41s Od to 45s Od ; new red, 36s Od to 40s per 36 stone ; beans, 39s to 41s for old ; new sorts, 35s to 37s per 38 st. ; barley, 33s to 35s for malting, and 27s to 29s per qr. for grinding; new oats, 21s to 24s Od per 24 stone; old, 253 to 28s. LEEDS-TUESDAY. There were fair arrivals of fresh grain this week, and, although the wheat trade was not brisk, still there was great firmness, and an advance of is per qr established on the sales effected. Oats and beans maintained former rates. Averages—June 20—Wheat 42s 3/d per qr. —Barley —s Od -- - —Oats . 2os 2d - - —Beans 36s sp - -- —Peas 3ls Od LIVERPOOL-TUESDAY. There wsa a fair attendance both of town and country dealers at market to-day, and rather a large business was done, chiefly on speculation, based on the probability of the Conference being a failure. Wheat may be quoted 2d to 3d per 100 lb, and flour 6d per barrel and sack dearer on the week. Oats and oatmeal nominally unaltered ill value or demand. Barley, beans, and peas only a limited . business, but fully a s cleat'. In Indian corn there was ra ther more inquiry, an d a ll t , te mixed American offering at 28a 6d per 4801 b was cleared oft: MARKET HARBOROUGH—TUESDAY. - - - White wheat, 40s to 44s ; red, 36s to:39s per 36 stone. Malting barley at 33s to 36s per qr. ; grinding, 27s to 29a per 30 st. Oats, old, 27s to 295; now - ,. 20s to 21s per 3 0 st. ; beans, 35s to 43s per qr. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. June --• via Marseilles July 14. brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. July 5. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena., June 29 China, Penang, and Singapore, via Seuthampton.June via Marseilles June 27. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton June --• India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton June—. via Marseilles June 27. India (Bombay), via Southampton .. June 25 via Marseilles July 5. P0rtuga1.......... Nlalta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton June —.— via Marseilles July 5 Newfoundland Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... June 30. by U.S. packet.... by Canadian packet. June 24. All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru , 1 June 28, California. and British C01umbia............ Births. BUCKLA.ND. — On the 20th inst., at L s a u le s ha z no . , €q C a h , e r r e t , s n ey y , d th e- e wife of the Rev. M. li, Buckland, of a son. HpOoLrßkO,YthDo—On otfheo2.lFs.t H in o s i t r . o . y a d t , B E , sesq., of a son. F OO LS. —On the 20 th inst., at 4, Crescent-place, N.W., iii a, l Es lie Mrs. ad , J. F. I , v P if o e o o le f , Erseqrc.,yolfvaest, ° ttn lisi" co a ttt V NVESTMACOTT.-012 the 18th h ( i j c ., k h ol m a , d G au a Gates head, ter. Marriages. HENNING — PEDLER.—On the 21st inst., at St. James's• Piccadilly, ShurlocK Henning, Major 26th Cameronians, eldest son of W. L. Henning, Etl., of Frome Whitfield, Dorset, to Frances Amelia, eldest daughter of the late Colonel Philip Warren Pedler, of 30, Brunswick-square, Brighton. WARREN—KENNEDY.—On the 21st inst., at Trinity Church, Bath, by the Rev. S a m ue l L. Warren, M.A. Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, brother of the bride groom the Rev. Edward Walpole Warren, 8.A., of Magdalen College. Cambridge, younger son of Samuel Warren, Esq., Q.C., D.C.L., to Agnes Sarah, only child of John Kennedy, Esq., of Beth, late Administrator.. General of Demerara and Essequibo, British Guiana. Deaths. ADDINELL.—On tho 18th inst., at Dalston, Mr. John. Addinell, aged 70. DAVIES.—On the 18th inst., at Hornsey, the Rev. Evan Davies, aged 59. GIIEEN.—On the 19th inst., at his brother-in-law's resi dence, 78, Bishopsgate without, Charles Percival Green, aged 50. HEXTALL —On the 17th inst., the Rev. John Hestall, in cumbent of Mossley, aged 72. MAGRATH.—On the 18th inst., at Denny-street, Tralee, Ireland, C. R. Magrath, Esq., aged 57. TILDESLEY.—On the 16th inst., at North Hyde, Middle sex, Mr. Isaac Tildesley. aged 55. TOWNSEND.—On the 15th inst., at Dublin. Horatio Townsend, Esq., barrister-at-l aw , age d 62. London: Print Aid and Prbliehed by IVILLIAM ANDR EWS of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TIE SUN Office No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct o'. the 3avoy, n the Conialv of 311141"ex•—WeduesdaY, June 22, 186 i.